With Branding Policy Update, Montana Gives Livestock Producers More Design Options

Apr 25, 2022

There are about 48,000 livestock brands actively registered in Montana.

That makes it hard to come up with new designs, says Ethan Wilfore with the state Department of Livestock.

“A lot of folks were having trouble getting brands that they wanted, specifically two-character brands,” he said.

Some people had to settle for three-character brands. That’s because under the state’s prior policy new brand applications were limited to letters, numbers, and a handful of shapes.

But under the Montana Department of Livestock’s updated brand policy that went into effect earlier this month, more design possibilities are opening up for the way livestock are identified.

The new policy says if there’s an image that’s among the already registered brands, you can incorporate it into your new brand application.

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Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.